Xiaomi’s Mi Drone, set to take on the big players in the market such as DJI and the forthcoming GoPro Karma, sports a ball-shaped 4K-shooting camera on its underside.

The camera uses a 12.4MP Sony sensor that shoots 4K at 30 fps, while the detachable gimbal keeps things smooth with 3-axis stabilisation. Xiaomi says this stabilisation system corrects itself 2,000 times per second, and is further aided by an optical flow sensor positioned behind the camera.

The controller can communicate with the Mi Drone at distances of up to 2km, and is designed with user-friendly simplicity in mind, with one-button take-off and landing, and a dedicated shutter button.

It will automatically return home when its battery runs dry – Xiaomi says the drone should be good for about 27 minutes of flight time.

Those who shoot stills as well should take note that the Mi Drone’s camera can also capture Raw images.

If you like the sound of an affordable drone and aren’t fussed about 4K then it’d worth noting that Xiaomi is also crowdfunding a cheaper version that shoots 1080p at 60 fps. More details on its website

Those who are interested in the 4K version however are going to have to wait a while, as the drone will only be entering open beta in July.

The Xiamoi Mi Drone carries a recommended price of 2,999 yuan (about £310), which is considerably cheaper than even the most budget similarly-specced models from the likes of DJI. This will be one to watch.